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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · wind · ruler · bank · mug · object · club · ball

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bank — of a river
  3. ball — a great time
  4. club — for golf
  5. bank — for money
  6. ball — a dance
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. object — a thing
  9. mug — a face
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. club — for dancing
  12. mug — a cup
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. object — to protest
  15. snap — to click
  16. wind — moving air
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. object — an aim
  21. wind — moving air
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bank — for money
  24. snap — to snap out of it

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com